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February 2009 - FUN FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY EUREKA! How do you entertain five children plus your husband? Go to Monkey Island in Melrose Park. Oh yes, you read it correctly. I am not sure who had more fun, the kids or my husband. With 41,000 square feet of entertainment, who wouldn’t have fun! It is considered one of Chicago’s largest Indoor Playgrounds and designed for infants and up. So the big hit for the older kids and my husband was the indoor soccer play area. Two goals, plenty of soccer balls, and an enclosed playing area provided an excellent arena for running, kicking, and competiveness. Other favorites were the football target throw, soccer kick target, air hockey, foosball, and the super slide. There was also an inflatable obstacle course called the Adrenaline Rush, a Jurassic Park inflatable that had bouncing animals, a rock wall, and a slide, a Curious George obstacle jumper, and a regular moon jump. Also inside is a huge climber system of platforms, bridges, ropes, nets, tunnels, slides, and ramps. The toddler and infant area offers a variety of entertainment for little ones as well. There is an infant swing and bouncer. There is a little kitchen with lots of doors to open and close. A unit similar to a Little Tikes cube and slide system and tunnels are also included. There is a large inflatable called Toddler Rescue Town which houses inflatable helicopters, ambulance, police car, and fire truck slide. In my opinion, this area is ideal for under the age of 3. Completing all this fun are clean bathrooms, hundreds of tables and chairs, free Wi-Fi internet access, and a coffee lounge with pizza, hot dogs, ice cream, beverages, and monkey coffee. Monkey Island is located at 2100 N. 15th Avenue, Melrose Park, IL 60160. Their phone number is 708-344-4803. Website is www.playmonkeyisland.com. Their hours do fluctuate with holidays and days of school, so call ahead for earlier opening times, such as 10am. Normal hours are Monday 4-8pm, Tuesday-Sunday 12-9pm. All inclusive admission is $8/child and $4/adult. Under 2 and parking are free. Watch out for parking though. They are located in an industrial area and share parking with a trucking company that comes and goes regularly. They tow cars that are blocking their way. #GlancerMagazine #KristenKucharski #MomsLittleBlackBook #MBBSportsRecreation #MBBPlaygroundsPlayscapes #KidsTeens #February2009 #FeaturedBlogger #FeaturedBlog

September 2011 - MILKING A COW Milk a cow! Check! It has taken me a few years to find it, but I have finally found a farm that will let the public milk their cows. Most of us city folk have not had the delight of interacting so personally with a cow that really does go “Moo”. They were even the chocolate milk cows, as I used to call them as a kid. It only seemed natural that brown cows produced brown milk. Primrose Farm in St. Charles is owned an operated by the St. Charles Park District. They offer a variety of hands on, interactive farm experiences for all ages. This historic facility is a working farm that provides children ages 4 and over an opportunity to milk cows. The class is tailored to the age group present which makes the hands-on milking experience educational and fun. We worked with 7 year old, Amber, who is a Jersey Cow and weighs approximately 1000 lbs. She produced a whopping 21 lbs of milk for us as we all worked diligently to provide her relief during her morning milking. Afterward, the kids washed all the buckets and milking machines. This program runs rain or shine so dress for the weather. It stormed the day we milked and we all survived. Amongst the many other program offerings we experienced at the farm, we also participated in the Chicken & Egg class for kids 4 and over. We gathered eggs straight from the chicken coop. And although we have done this before at Kline Creek Farm, this experience offered much more interaction with the chickens. We fed them, chased them back in their yard, and were also able to bring our fresh eggs home with us. The kids were so excited to bring their personal collection home. The education offered is amazing and the kids talked about the hows and whys of backyard poultry all the way home. Threshing grain was also on our task list but due to the storm it was too wet. We still learned the differences between wheat and oats and how it is harvested, as well as visited the summer kitchen. Primrose Farm is located at 5N726 Crane Road, St. Charles, IL. The phone is 630-513-4370. Website is www.stcparks.org. Call the farm directly or visit the website for specific program details. There is so much to do there. Hours and programs change with the seasons. Program prices range from Free to $15 for a non-resident. – Kristen Kucharski #GlancerMagazine #KristenKucharski #MomsLittleBlackBook #MBBHikingNature #MBBOutdoorAdventures #September2011 #KidsTeens #FeaturedBlogger #FeaturedBlog

August 2009 - SIMPLE BACKYARD FUN Because times are tough, doesn’t mean the fun has to end. Sometimes the best memories come from the life’s simples pleasures. I was amazed to hear my messages the other day of parents inquiring about Survivor Games in my backyard again this summer. I couldn’t help but smile because it made my heart swell to know that so many children still enjoy the simplicity of good ‘ol fashion backyard fun. Last summer I decided to get some kids together for what we called Survivor Games. I was a little nervous because I didn’t have a lot of money and because the kids in our neighborhood are older than mine. I was worried the older kids would turn their noses up to playing games in my backyard. But as it turned out, a small group was 32 children. The numbers added to my fear that the kids would ultimately be bored after week one. Apparently, they had so much fun they want to do it again! With ages from 4-14, it may seem daunting to keep their eyes from rolling and the boredom at bay, but teens also love a challenge. What are they are trying to win? Front row seats at a finale show on the last day of challenges. With every child paying a small fee to participate, a finale show becomes very cost effective (Cold Blood Creatures, Monkeys and More, etc.). To organize your games, simply choose dates, make a flier with dates, times, fees, ages, examples of games, finale show information, what each child brings (t-shirt, water bottle, snack), and your contact information. When the children arrive, make sure your teams are divided equally with various ages. I made 4 teams of 8. I went over some general rules such as, no kids in the house, no sore losers or taunting. The kids picked team names and decorated t-shirts. Challenge ideas can be found on the internet (search outdoor kid games), including a Yucky Food competition (frozen veggies blended with milk, fresh broccoli, raw cauliflower, bananas dipped in pickle juice, etc). I took many photos and emailed the album to parents. Do not try to make this fancy or buy extravagant obstacle courses. The best advice I can give you is to keep it simple, and enjoy some good ‘ol fashion backyard fun! #GlancerMagazine #KristenKucharski #MomsLittleBlackBook #MBBOutdoorAdventures #MBBSportsRecreation #MBBPerfectForTweensTeens #August2009 #FeaturedBlogger #FeaturedBlog #KidsTeens

July 2012 - CANOEING ON THE FOX Summer is all about water fun and being outside as much as possible. In the Western Suburbs, we are fortunate to be near the Du Page River and the Fox River to take advantage of the many water activities available on each. A recent adventure took us to St. Charles to learn the art of quiet-canoeing. Through a class available at the St. Charles Park District (www.stcparks.org), anyone ages 9 and over can learn how to canoe independently. Instruction took place in a classroom for the first half of the class and then the kids were given the opportunity to lower a canoe into the Fox River and take their classroom lesson to a real life adventure. They were first challenged to paddle in a large circle and once they confidently displayed their skills, were permitted to paddle across the river and back and then race their friends. They discovered water safety, independence, and confidence along the way. All canoes, paddles, and life jackets were provided by the park district. The thrill of being on the open water in their own boat has broadened their horizons to take on more challenging canoe trips down the Fox River. Various canoe trips are available for families and/or parent/child trips through area venues such as the Oswego Park District (www.oswegolandparkdistrict.org) launching program from Freeman’s Canoe Rental in Yorkville, where children 6 and older can participate with an adult and float and paddle a five mile stretch of the Fox River from Yorkville to Silver Springs State Park. The trip is approximately 2-3 hours long and the fee is only $29/non-resident. Just want to try your hand at canoeing but don’t feel like taking a class or a 3 hour canoe trip? Head to River View Miniature Golf Complex at St. Charles Pottawatomie Park. Pedal boat and canoe rentals launch from May 19 through August 16, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for $15 per hour/per boat. The fee includes life jackets and paddles. Rentals are open to all ages so long as children 15 and under are accompanied by an adult, 18 and older. As you broaden your horizons and gain a love for canoeing, checkout websites like www.paddleaway.com/rentals for area locations that rent canoes and organize day trips down the various waterways in Illinois, or stay local with www.foxrivercanoe.com for trips departing from Batavia, St. Charles, and North Aurora. #GlancerMagazine #KristenKucharski #MomsLittleBlackBook #MBBOutdoorAdventures #MBBPerfectForTweensTeens #MBBHikingNature #FeaturedBlogger #FeaturedBlog #KidsTeens #July2012

October 2009 - $1 GEO CACHING Okay, I will be the first to admit that I have avoided going to Naper Settlement with my kids because it seemed like it would be boring adventure and a waste of money. I finally decided to go because my children earned free passes from a reading program and I found a Buy One Get One free coupon. I could not have been more wrong about the fun factor associated with Naper Settlement. We went with a group of 2 moms, 1 grandma, and 8 kids ranging in age from 3-9. We all expected to be there for less than 2 hours. Thank goodness we packed our picnic lunch because we were reluctantly leaving after 5 hours. We rented each child a Geo Cache unit for $1 each. This was a huge hit. Geo Caching is worldwide and is basically electrically treasure hunting using a GPS system provided by the settlement. This activity took us all over the settlement in hunt for the hidden treasures following the GPS directions. In the midst of our treasure hunting, the kids did many other activities. Did you know that you can make homemade butter by shaking cream in a jar? After shaking and singing – we made homemade butter. The kids also enjoyed using sticks to beat rugs clean. They never knew that housecleaning could be so much fun. We spent about 45 minutes in the schoolhouse as the kids played an imaginary game of school with the provided books, mini chalk boards, and lesson plans. The Games on the Green were a blast. It felt like we were playing in someone else’s backyard. It is always more fun to play with someone else’s toys! We did sack races, played checkers, jump roped with a giant size rope, and had a ring toss competition. The kids were enthralled with the Blacksmith’s workings and watched diligently as he performed magic while he manipulated iron bars. They even seemed incredibly interested taking a tour of the Martin Mitchell Mansion. The Naper Settlement is located at 523 S. Webster Street, Naperville, IL 60540. Phone 630-420-6010. Website www.napersettlement.museum. Hours through October (slight change in November) are Tuesday-Saturday 10am-4pm, Sunday 1-4pm. Admission is $8 adults, $7 seniors, $5.50 youth, under 4 is free. #GlancerMagazine #KristenKucharski #MomsLittleBlackBook #MBBOutdoorAdventures #MBBHikingNature #October2009 #KidsTeens #FeaturedBlogger #FeaturedBlog

May 2011 - COLLECTING CHICKEN EGGS Although I wrote about the Du Page Forest Preserve last month, I felt strongly that I needed to draw additional attention to another amazing adventure we experienced within the many offerings of the Forest Preserve. Because, where else could you ever hand collect chicken eggs from chickens in the chicken coop? In my 40 years of living, I can honestly say I have never pulled a chicken egg from under a chicken while the chicken stared me in the eyes. What a truly unique experience for not only the kids, but for myself. At 10:45 a.m., visitors are encouraged to meet at the chicken house to watch the feeding, meet the chickens, and help collect the eggs for the morning. And yes, the chickens are still actively walking about the chicken coop when you are collecting their eggs, and some may be still sitting upon them. We even got to milk a cow at the Timber Ridge Visitor Center. It wasn’t a real cow but it was still fun pretending on the large plastic cow with water as a substitute for milk! There was also a darling wooden play set in the visitor center amongst many unique gift items. The farm is very interactive. Depending on the time of year, different programs are offered to give the children a chance to work the farm by helping to stock the wood pile, pick corn from the fields, tap trees for maple syrup, care for and feed the animals, and so much more. The farm is completely hands-on and the staff is extremely friendly. They even made the farmhouse tour engaging for our group of kids that ranged in age from 2-9 years old. The setting is gorgeous and peaceful and brings you back to simpler times. Kline Creek Farm is located at 1N600 County Farm Road, West Chicago, IL 60185. Phone is 630-876-5900. Kline Creek Farm is a part of the Dupage Forest Preserve so the website is www.dupageforest.com. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Thursday through Sunday. They are closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Admission is FREE! Kristen Kucharski #GlancerMagazine #KristenKucharski #MomsLittleBlackBook #MBBOutdoorAdventures #MBBHikingNature #KidsTeens #May2011 #FeaturedBlogger #FeaturedBlog

October 2010 - HOW MANY STAIRS? You have driven by it hundreds of time, you may hold an opinion on its funding, you have heard the songs played, and are aware it is a focal point of Naperville; but, have you ever stepped inside? Our latest adventure took us to central Naperville to the Millennium Carillon in Moser Tower, otherwise known to most of us as the bell tower. Taking the elevator half way up the tower is one way to begin your tour, but we opted to take the wild side and climb the stairs to the top of this 16-story structure. I challenge you all to count the steps up (that does not mean check online and see what the answer is)! We all came back with different numbers. The tour guide said she has been told there are 253 steps, most of my kids counted 228 steps up. I personally was not able to walk, talk, and count at the same time while carrying a three year old up most of the steps – I stopped at 39. The tour is simple enough for most kids to understand the significance of the tower and the individual bells; and exciting enough for them to burn off energy going up and down the stairs. I was amazed to learn that a tower of this size is only one of six in the country and only one of ten in the entire world. I felt honored to be a part of history. We can now officially check it off our bucket list. We can say been there, done that! On some tours, they permit the children to go into the room where the keyboard is housed. The children are then able to get first hands-on experience at using their fists (yes, I did say their fists) and their feet to play a song on the 72 bell instrument. The children can also participate in interactive displays in the Visitor Center located near the base of the tower. The Millennium Carillon is located inside Moser Tower, near the Riverwalk’s Rotary Hill, 455 Aurora Ave, Naperville, IL 60540. Phone 630-848-5000. Website is www.NapervilleParks.org. Hours are May 1-November 21, Saturdays 10am-4pm, Sundays 12pm-6pm. Friday tours are also available during the summertime. Admission is $3 for ages 5 and older. – Kristen Kucharski #GlancerMagazine #KristenKucharski #MomsLittleBlackBook #MBBOutdoorAdventures #MBBHikingNature #October2010 #FeaturedBlogger #FeaturedBlog #KidsTeens

January 2010 - CLIMB AND EXPLORE Cute, cute and cuter were the first words that came to mind when I walked into Little Monkey Bizness. This article is a Now and Later article as I will tell you about Little Monkey Bizness Now in Western Springs and lucky for us, is coming to Naperville in 2010. For now, from southwest Naperville, Western Springs is an easy 35 minute drive. Their tagline is ‘Where Kids Monkey Around’ is perfectly fitting for this incredible play place designed for children ages 6 and under. Children over 7 are not permitted on the equipment. Children and parents can both be entertained. There are built in carpeted benches in the play zone for the parents to enjoy coffee and socialize, while their children play. There is also a full service coffee house on the premise serving food and drinks. A bonus room to the main play place is the art room filled with paint, crayons, markers, smocks, and child size tables and chairs. A great clothesline hangs across the room to allow your creative artwork to dry while your child burns energy in the play area. Your child can play in the bounce house, explore the maze tower, slide down the slides, swing on the swing, play in the tree, pretend in the imaginary house, and explore the many other slides, tunnels, and bridges, while discovering a whole world of play. The entire play zone is enclosed with a half wall and locking doors so the children are contained in the space and separated from the café area, art room, bathrooms, and exit. The infant zone which is designed for children under age 2 is perfectly safe with padded hills, arches, mats and ride on toys. This area is enclosed to protect the little ones from their active preschool counterparts. Little Monkey Bizness is located at 4700 Gilbert Ave, Ste 51, Western Springs, IL 60558. Phone is 708-246-9600. Website is www.littlemonkeybizness.com. Parents, Guardians, and Infants are always free. Admission for children over 1 and walking is $7.50. Crawlers under age 1 are $5. Look for coupons. Hours are Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 8am-12pm, and Sun 9am-12pm. Coming soon to Naperville! #GlancerMagazine #KristenKucharski #MomsLittleBlackBook #MBBPlaygroundsPlayscapes #January2010 #KidsTeens #FeaturedBlogger #FeaturedBlog

March 2009 - OPEN GYMNASTICS There are numerous places to go in the area for open gymnastics. Many of the facilities require you to be a member to participate, or charge additional fees for a non-member rate. The gymnastics facilities are large and vast and can sometimes be overwhelming for both the parent and the child. A great solution to money and size is the Downers Grove Park District Open Gymnastics. Downers Grove Park District offers open gymnastics almost on a daily basis. There is a wide variety of things to do in their gym area beyond just gymnastic skills. The staff seems to rotate the items available to offer a new and interesting environment each time you arrive. You will almost always find preschool size balance beams, vaulting equipment, uneven bars, and padded mat areas. Most times I have gone, I have also found that they will bring out bouncy balls, hula hoops, hoop targets, ribbon streamers, a miniature roller coaster (similar to the one from One Step Ahead), and foam pits. Although this is a parent supervised activity, there is always a staff member available to help the children or answer any questions you may have. Although this place is great for the little ones because it is not very crowded, the park district does limit the maximum age to children 7 years old or younger. Due to the age limitations, this open gymnastics does seem to be a good place for play groups while your older ones are in school for the day, unfortunately, their hours seem to also be during naptime. So if you have the toddler who has given up naps, and you are looking to burn all that energy……this is the ideal place for you and your little friend. The Downers Grove Park District is located at 4500 Belmont Road, Downers Grove, IL. Their phone number is 630-960-7250. Their website is www.dgparks.org. The fee is $3/resident, or $5/non-resident. The hours are Monday-Friday, typically between 12:00pm-2:00pm, but the schedule does vary each day and each month. To get up to date information, visit their website. Parental supervision is required and don’t forget your socks! There is so much to do within our reach, keep reading and get ready for our next adventure. #GlancerMagazine #KristenKucharski #MomsLittleBlackBook #MBBPlaygroundsPlayscapes #MBBSportsRecreation #March2009 #KidsTeens #FeaturedBlogger #FeaturedBlog

September 2009 - INDOOR WATER PARK This indoor water park is large enough for the kids to be entertained for hours, yet, small enough that you can see the entire park from one spot. This is a great water park for all ages, including young toddlers and infants. You can also choose to leave your little ones in the babysitting room and enjoy the water park with your older children. The babysitting room charges $2/hour, 2 hour maximum. Should you keep your little ones with you, the water park has some fantastic features such as a zero depth pool, a small teeter totter, baby swings, and ride-on toys, all anchored in the shallow water. A small river like stream leads to the pool area for active swim. There are various size life jackets available for your use. For older children there are two story water slides; a tube slide and a body slide. You must be at least 48” tall and you must go down solo; though they will allow you to wear a life jacket to go down the waterslide. A favorite for our group was the anchored log pads and rope monkey bars. Our group went across these pads hundreds of times using the ropes for balance, jumping from pad to pad, holding hands as a team, and timed races. There is a HUGE water bucket that is the main attraction for the splash pad area. This is a gated area within the water park that offers a small tunnel slide, water guns, pumps, troughs, and interactive water play areas. The bucket fills up every few minutes and then a bell rings and the bucket dumps tons of water down on the children. Bring your own picnic lunch or there is also a café. The indoor pool facility also offers a therapy pool, lap pool, and diving boards. The Vaughn Athletic Center is located at 2121 W. Indian Trail, Aurora, IL 60506. Phone number is 630-907-9600. Their website is www.FoxValleyParkDistrict.org. The fee is $6/resident, $8/non-resident, students discounted, under 2 is free. Hours are Monday-Friday, 4-8pm, Tuesday/Thursday 9-11am, Saturday-Sunday 12-5pm. Always check for special hours on days off of school. #GlancerMagazine #KristenKucharski #MomsLittleBlackBook #MBBPlaygroundsPlayscapes #KidsTeens #September2009 #FeaturedBlogger #FeaturedBlog

November 2010 - KIDS GIVE BACK We live in a community that offers many advantages and has won awards for Best Places to Live and Most Kid Friendly, etc. We are fortunate in so many ways. Since our community has provided so much free fun to us, our next adventure took us to a place where we could give back. Our next adventure proved those words to be oh so true. Our group had the most fantastic time at Feed My Starving Children in Aurora. You may have been there before, but checkout their new website and registration process. They have lowered their age to permit children as young as five years old to participate. The new registration process also permits for individuals, and/or families, and/or groups to volunteer. You no longer need a minimum group size to sign up for a volunteer day; but please note the child to adult ratio when registering. Any day you choose to help, log into their website and volunteer for a packing session. It’s that easy. On a recent day off of school, we opted to take our family to this incredible organization. Obviously a free activity to volunteer, but what surprised even the youngest participant (age 5) was that it was so much fun. We were joined by friends and we all sang and danced and yelled out victory chants, as we packed food for starving children in other countries. Our children learned that there is not always food in the pantry, nor a wide variety of choices. Our children learned that some children in other countries eat mud pies – literally – just to feel full, even though it offers no nutritional value. So the group of us stood around a large funnel surrounded by bins of chicken flavoring, dehydrated vegetables, soy, and rice. We filled bags; sealed bags; and packed boxes of nutritional meals for two hours. We packed 8,856 meals that will help feed 24 children for an entire year. We had a blast and considered this one of the best adventures of the year. Feed My Starving Children is located at 555 Exchange Ct, Aurora, IL 60504. Phone is 630-851-0404. Website is www.FMSC.org. Check their website for packing sessions. Admission is FREE. – Kristen Kucharski #GlancerMagazine #KristenKucharski #MomsLittleBlackBook #MBBGivingBack #KidsTeens #November2010 #FeaturedBlogger #FeaturedBlog

November 2011 - BOUNCE JUMP FLIP Extreme fun can be very affordable if you gather your friends and go together. A few months ago, I talked about the power of group rates. This is one adventure you will want to work in numbers, to get the best rate possible. Xtreme Trampoline offers hours of indoor fun, laughs, thrills, and exercise for everyone. On a recent day off of school, it was very easy to gather over 35 people and pay only $6 for two hours of bouncing, flipping, dodge ball fun. The normal rate per person is $16 for two hours, so you see how planning with friends can save a bundle. Form your group, have everyone pay you cash, and use with your credit card to secure your rate. Easy! The building is huge and overflowing with excitement. Trampoline pits positioned by foam pits provide plenty of opportunity to flip, twist, and dive. Trampolines formed to make a dodge ball court give a competitive edge to those who want to form teams to throw balls, jump, and lunge to avoid getting hit. There is a trampoline area specifically for the young ones so they can feel free to leap, hop, and bounce without being pounced on by older counterparts. There is a specific area for older kids so they can have their own space and feel free to push the boundaries of gravity. There are trampolines on the walls to give added dimension to your imagination and padding everywhere in case you fly wild. There is no admission rate, so if you choose to go and watch, there is no fee, but if you choose to participate, it’s a great form of exercise, a fun way to burn calories, and a fantastic way to tire the kids out. Xtreme Trampoline is located at 485 Mission Street, Carol Stream, IL 60188. Phone is 630-752-1400. Website is www.xtremetrampolines.com. Admission varies by the hour and by group size. The more people you bring, the more money you save! If you bring friends, be sure to have the waiver signed by the appropriate guardian prior to leaving home, there are no exceptions to their waiver rules. – Kristen Kucharski #GlancerMagazine #KristenKucharski #MomsLittleBlackBook #MBBPerfectForTweensTeens #MBBSportsRecreation #MBBPlaygroundsPlayscapes #FeaturedBlogger #FeaturedBlog #KidsTeens #November2011